The Nobel laureate was addressing the 92nd annual general meet of the Association of Indian Universities at Central Institute of Higher Tibet Studies in Sarnath.

The Nobel laureate was addressing the 92nd annual general meet of the Association of Indian Universities at Central Institute of Higher Tibet Studies in Sarnath.(HT File)

Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, on Monday said India needs to play its role in ensuring a peaceful 21st century. Opposing the arms race and nuclear weapons, he said, “Now we must build genuine peace and peace will not come automatically. We together have to make efforts for the genuine peace in the world.”

The Nobel laureate was addressing the 92nd annual general meet of the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) at Central Institute of Higher Tibet Studies in Sarnath. The Dalai Lama further said India was the only nation that could combine modern education and its ancient knowledge to achieve peace.

“The concept of war has become outdated today. Time has come when world should make serious efforts for nuclear weapon-free world,” he said.

The Nobel laureate said in a conference a few years ago, experts explained serious consequences of the use nuclear weapons. He said he had suggested then that the time table should be fixed for making world free from nuclear weapons and action for the same should be taken accordingly. But nothing happened in that direction so far, the Dalai Lama added. He, however, said he will continue his efforts.

“Nice statements or resolutions, even in the United Nations, some beautiful speeches will not change the situation because violence comes from anger and fear. We have to tackle that. We have to reduce fear and anger,” he said.

“Now in that respect, mere our modern knowledge and education are not much effective. Ancient Indian knowledge is really very useful in tackling anger and ensuring inner peace. I found it very useful. Now India should combine modern education with ancient Indian knowledge,” the spiritual leader said.

“Modern education is necessary for material development and ancient Indian knowledge is required for inner peace. Modern education gets us physical comfort, ancient wisdom, which is about mind, brings us inner peace,” Dalai Lama said.

“We must develop courage and wisdom to achieve the goal of peace in 21st century. This century should be a century of dialogue. The Indian knowledge about logic is extremely sophisticated. Though this comes from religious texts it should now be treated as academic subject,” he said.

“I think religious harmony is really marvellous in the whole of India and it is the only country where people of different religions live together which is something very unique in today’s world,” the Dalai Lama said.

“Ahimsa with Karuna (non-violence and compassion) should go together. India truly produced many thinkers and preachers of Ahimsa. All Indians should feel proud over the ancient Indian knowledge,” he said.

The Dalai Lama said noted physicist Raja Ramanna once told him that quantum physics was a new concept in the West, but it developed in India over 2,000 years back.

“Modern psychology is of kindergarten level, while ancient Indian psychology is highly developed and sophisticated,” he added. “The world is passing through a ‘crisis of emotion’. This country has the knowledge about how to tackle this crisis as well,” he said.

The spiritual leader said India can make significant contribution to the world peace by reviving ancient Indian wisdom. He hoped that India will make efforts in that direction.